Impact & Awards

Founded in 2009, the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting and its publication, The Maine Monitor, has published hundreds of in-depth stories that have had impact throughout the state and won numerous awards from state, regional and national journalism groups.

The mission of the nonprofit newsroom is: To deliver fearless, independent, citizen-supported, nonpartisan journalism that informs Mainers about the issues impacting our state and inspires them to take action. Through investigative and in-depth stories, we engage readers to participate and connect to create a better Maine.

NEWSROOM IMPACT

The Maine Monitor reported in its first annual impact report that it doubled its news content in 2022, delivering on its promise to serve Mainers independent, investigative journalism that matters.

The Maine Monitor saw considerable growth in its readership as a result, welcoming thousands of new readers and doubling visitors to its website. New donors likewise joined the community supporting the Monitor’s important nonprofit news efforts.

Stories produced by The Maine Monitor newsroom prompted real actions for Mainers in 2022, including numerous legislative reforms and rule changes at the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services, and the funding of five public defender positions, the first in the state’s history, as a result of Samantha Hogan’s award-winning “Defenseless” project.

AWARDS

The work of our newsroom has received 151 accolades from the Maine Press Association since 2015, and the New England Newspaper & Press Association has bestowed our newsroom with its prestigious Publick Occurrences Award five times.

The work of the staff and contributors to The Maine Monitor has earned recognition from the National Headliner Awards, the Institute for Nonprofit News, the National Newspaper Association, the Livingston Awards, Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, the American Bar Association, the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, the New England Emmy Awards, Report for America, the First Amendment Coalition, the Maine Public Health Association, and the Associated Church Press.

2023

Silver Gavel Awards — Winner (multimedia reporting) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

National Headliner Awards — Third Place (environmental story) — The Unstoppable Ocean — Kate Cough and Alex MacLean

Report for America Awards — Third Place (enterprise reporting) — The Unstoppable Ocean — Kate Cough

Best of Church Press Awards — Honorable Mention — Maine religious leaders hope to stem drop in attendance — Ellie Wolfe

Investigative Reporters & Editors Awards — Finalist — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

New England Emmy Awards — Finalist — Chasing Maine: The Feeding Frenzy — Roger McCord

Livingston Awards — Finalist — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting — Semifinalist — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

First Amendment Coalition’s Open Government Award — Winner — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

2022

Maine Public Health Association’s Public Health Journalism Award — Rose Lundy

National Newspaper Association Awards — First Place (feature series) — Deaths of Despair — Barbara A. Walsh

National Newspaper Association Awards — First Place (investigative story/series) — Lawyers who were ineligible to handle serious criminal charges were given thousands of these cases anyway — Samantha Hogan and Agnel Philip

National Newspaper Association Awards — Third Place (environmental) — Staggering $1.5 billion lithium deposit discovered near Newry — Kate Cough

National Newspaper Association Awards — Third Place (feature series) — Unsafe Homes: Children in Peril — Barbara A. Walsh

Report for America Awards — First Place (investigative reporting) Jailed defendants expected private attorney calls. They didn’t always get them. — Samantha Hogan

Report for America Awards — Third Place (feature writing) — Tiny Coopers Mills reeling in the aftermath of nursing home closure — Rose Lundy

Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers Awards — Finalist (accountability reporting) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers Awards — Finalist (public service project) — The Journey to Be Me — Barbara A. Walsh

Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers Awards — Finalist (outstanding coverage) — Nursing homes face ongoing staff shortages, a problem that predates the pandemic — Rose Lundy and Braeden Waddell

Institute for Nonprofit News Awards — Honorable Mention (investigative reporting) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

New England Emmy Awards — Finalist (video essay) — Chasing Maine: The Rodeo Clown — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (best circulation promotion) — A statewide look at Maine’s natural beauty from our newsletter subscribers — George Harvey and the Monitor’s readers

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news story) — Nominees for Maine’s public defense commission broke rules to work on serious criminal cases — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (business/economics story) — ‘Dark store’ theory: Walmart, large retailers push to cut millions in property taxes statewide — Kate Cough

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (analysis) — As families struggle to afford 15-minute phone calls from jail, Maine counties rake in millions — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (environmental) — Staggering $1.5 billion lithium deposit discovered near Newry; excavating it poses a challenge — Kate Cough

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story) — Lack of data stymies efforts to address firefighter shortage — Vanessa Paolella

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports news) — Numbers lag for women coaches across Maine varsity sports — George Harvey

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports profile) — Pennsylvania community places hope in a tiger turned Barbarian from Maine — Eric Conrad

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (education) — As COVID-19 surged, so did the number of nursing students preparing to enter the fight — Rose Lundy

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (courts story) — Judge orders evidentiary hearing in Bates case, opening ‘actual innocence gateway’ in Maine — Jordan Andrews

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (arts/lifestyle) — From child refugee to “proud” Mainer — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (religion/spirituality) — Keeping a culture alive, one drumbeat at a time — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (outdoors) — Bicycling alone, no more: Maine moves toward active transportation — Rose Lundy

Maine Press Association Awards — Freedom of Information Award — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (continuing story) — Unsafe Homes — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (local columnist) — Marina Schauffler (example oneexample two)

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story headline) — Child homicides are the tip of Maine’s ‘iceberg of abuse’ — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (graphic) — Taxes and fees on gasoline by state — Kate Cough

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (people photo) — Marie Paul — Fred J. Field

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports video) — Chasing Maine: The Ball Game — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news video) — Chasing Maine: The Oasis — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: The Rodeo Clown — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (digital general excellence) — The Maine Monitor newsroom

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (best self-promotion) — The Maine Monitor newsroom

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (courts story) — Attorney general sues Maine lawyer for ‘negligent misrepresentation’ of billing — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (analysis) — How ‘green’ is Maine? Recycling data is so incomplete, state experts don’t have clear picture — Kate Cough

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (environmental) — Maine’s prime farmland is being lost to solar. Is ‘dual use’ the answer? — Kate Cough

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature story) — Tiny Coopers Mills reeling in the aftermath of nursing home closure — Rose Lundy

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (health) — Nursing homes face ongoing staff shortages, a problem that predates the pandemic — Rose Lundy and Braeden Waddell

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (education story) — Education officials, advocates celebrate 55% state funding achievement. But can it endure? — Andrew Howard

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (political story) — Make your case, await the verdict as Legislative Council sets agenda for session — Andrew Howard

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (business/economics) — Headwinds at 20: As Downeaster nears a milestone birthday, questions arise about its future — Eric Conrad

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (sports news) — Pennsylvania community places hope in a tiger turned Barbarian from Maine — Eric Conrad

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (picture story) — Deaths of Despair — Fred J. Field

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature photo) — Thorndike Fire Department — Garrick Hoffman

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (continuing story) — Deaths of Despair — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (opinion columnist) — Marina Schauffler (example oneexample two)

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (news photo) — Downeaster train — Jill Brady

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (features/lifestyle video) — The Indomitable Spirit — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (sports video) — Chasing Maine: The Gold Ball — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (news video) — Chasing Maine: The Cultural Ambassador — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (investigative report) — Maine’s effort to address lead poisoning was gaining momentum before COVID-19 — Rose Lundy

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (analysis) — Defense lawyers say system crumbling under huge backlog, inadequate funding for indigent defendants — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (environmental) — There are more devices in Mainers’ lives than ever. No one knows where they end up. — Kate Cough

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (political story) — Lawmaker pushes to restore parole to Maine’s justice system — Douglas Rooks

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (business/economics story) — Help needed! Maine tourism faces too much business and too little staff — Janine Pineo

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (courts story) — COVID-19 forces York County Jail to turn would-be inmates away — Andrew Howard

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (arts/lifestyle) — Keeping a culture alive, one drumbeat at a time — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (food story) — What will it take to grow Maine’s local food economy? — Marina Schauffler

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (news story headline) — Maine’s pollen problem is nothing to sneeze at — Hal Madsen

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (picture story) — Keeping a culture alive, one drumbeat at a time — Fred J. Field

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (news video) — Chasing Maine: The Antique Car Show — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: The Place of Peace — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (sports video) — Chasing Maine: The Epic Comeback — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (illustration) — The Maine Monitor audio logo — Olivia Martin

2021

Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year — Samantha Hogan

Livingston Awards — Finalist — Defenseless — Samantha Hogan

Silver Gavel Awards — Finalist — Defenseless — Samantha Hogan

New England Emmy Awards — Finalist (historical/cultural short form video) — Chasing Maine — Roger McCord

Institute for Nonprofit News Awards — Honorable Mention (investigative reporting) — Defenseless — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Photography Best in Show — Escaping danger at a Black Lives Matter protest — Katie Brown

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (best young reader engagement) — 2020: A Class Dismissed — Bailey Beltramo

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (political story) — How record sums of money have shaped Maine’s 2020 elections — Susan Cover, Darren Fishell, Meg Robbins

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (courts story) — Lawyers who were ineligible to handle serious criminal charges were given thousands of these cases anyway — Samantha Hogan and Agnel Philip

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — Defenseless — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (people photo) — The Last Responders — Yoon S. Byun

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (picture story) — The rise of angels during a hellish year — Fred J. Field

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (illustration) — A low bar for public defense — Chloe Cushman

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports headline) — From his seat in a wheelchair, nobody ever stood taller — Hal Madsen

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports profile) — From his seat in a wheelchair, nobody ever stood taller — Steve Solloway

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (continuing story) — The Last Responders — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (arts/lifestyle) — Together, to the compassionate end — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story) — The rise of angels during a hellish year — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (religion/spirituality) — Consoling the dying and grieving in the COVID-19 era — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story headline) — From his seat in a wheelchair, nobody ever stood taller — Hal Madsen

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (environmental story) — The drive toward vehicle electrification in Maine — Marina Schauffler

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (business/economics story) — Maine enters recession in wake of virus — Samantha Hogan and Meg Robbins

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news video) — Maine’s governor born for hard times, and hard decisions — Yoon S. Byun and Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: The Boneyard Hunter Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (education story) — As students resume classes, school officials prepare for potential pandemic-induced educational divide — Rose Lundy

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (digital general excellence) — The Maine Monitor newsroom

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (news photo) — Escaping danger at a Black Lives Matter protest — Katie Brown

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (political story) — Maine’s governor born for hard times, and hard decisions — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (investigative report) — The preacher and the outbreak — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (continuing story) — Breach of attorney-client privilege in Somerset County sparks outrage in Maine legal community — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (arts/lifestyle) — The Wonderful Life of Bob Bahre — Steve Solloway

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature story) — A Maine traveling nurse doing her part to combat COVID — Steve Solloway

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (religion/spirituality) — The preacher and the outbreak — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (environmental story) — Environmental experts push back on Canadian company’s plans to mine for metal in Maine — Katie Brown

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (business/economic story) — Online directory aims to help Black businesses thrive in nation’s whitest state — Jordan Bailey

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (sports video) — Chasing Maine: The Messenger — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: The Harvesters — Roger McCord

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (feature photo) — Gov. Janet Mills — Yoon S. Byun

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (graphic) — Metal mines and deposits — Meg Robbins

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (analysis) — Green bank could help Maine turn tide on fossil fuel dependency — Marina Schauffler

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (continuing story) — The preacher and the outbreak — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (arts/lifestyle) — From his seat in a wheelchair, nobody ever stood taller — Steve Solloway

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (feature story) — Maine’s governor born for hard times, and hard decisions — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (religion/spirituality story) — Playing God with public health — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (feature story headline) — The rise of angels during a hellish year — Hal Madsen

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: A Banner Day — Roger McCord

2020

Maine Public Health Association’s Public Health Journalism Award — Staff of The Maine Monitor newsroom

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (digital general excellence) — Staff of The Maine Monitor newsroom

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (Freedom of Information) — Indigent Defense — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (best new revenue idea) — The Fate of Local Journalism — Dan Dinsmore, Samantha Hogan, Connie Sage Conner

Maine Press Association Awards — Bob Drake Young Writer Award — Meg Robbins (for work at The Maine Monitor and Morning Sentinel)

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — The high cost of poor defense — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature photo) — Hands at work — Gabe Souza

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story) — Another death in the family — Steve Solloway

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (courts story) — The disparities of deferred dispositions — Susan Cover

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news story) — Maine ranks 9th in number of children impacted by opioid crisis — Barbara Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (political story) — Tiffany Bond and the 2020 spending race — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (continuing story) — Coverage of indigent defense in Maine — Samantha Hogan and Dan Dinsmore

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (business/economics story) — The $132M electricity rip-off — Darren Fishell

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (education story) — Are Maine’s charter schools failing to thrive? — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news story headline) — Another death in the family — Dan Dinsmore

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (features/lifestyle video) — Bumbleroot Farm — Charlie Stuart

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (investigative report) — Stockpile crash: Maine lacks essential medical equipment to fight coronavirus — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (business/economics story) — Help Wanted: The Immigrant Opportunity — Peter Weed

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature story) — Stuck in the stack: Asylum seeker’s life in limbo amid wait for approval — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature story headline) — Due Process — Staff of The Maine Monitor newsroom

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (environmental story) — A breaking wave — Marina Schauffler

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (continuing story) — Due Process — Susan Cover, Julie Pike, Dan Dinsmore

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (illustration) — High Hour Alerts — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (continuing story) — Help Wanted: The Immigrant Opportunity — Peter Weed, Dan Dinsmore, Gabe Souza

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (illustration) — Paying for Defense — Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (graphic) — Refugee Resettlement — Jessica Ouellete

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (best young reader engagement idea) — News Literacy —Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (best self-promotion) — The role of nonprofit journalism — Dan Dinsmore

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (news video) — An interview with Washington Post editor Alan Sipress — Eric Bailey and Samantha Hogan

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (analysis) — The $132M electricity rip-off — Darren Fishell

2019

Maine Press Association Awards — Freedom of Information Award — Born to Drugs — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (digital general excellence) — Staff of The Maine Monitor newsroom

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (people photo) — JP’s Journey — Yoon S. Byun

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (picture story) — From depths of addiction to symbol of hope — Yoon S. Byun

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (courts story) — Evidence of innocence? Foster Bates has renewed hope for a retrial. — Jordan Bailey

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — Born to Drugs — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story) — Desperate to change: A mother battles addiction to keep her baby — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (continuing story) — Born to Drugs — Barbara A. Walsh

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (illustration) — Born to Drugs — Jessica Ouellete

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (graphic) — The News Makers — Jessica Ouellete

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (education) — Frustrated Maine parents rally against proficiency-based learning — Susan Cover

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature photo) — What’s the objective — Sarah Rice

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (special online project) — Born to Drugs — Jessica Ouellete

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (news story) — Upstream Battle: Belfast residents divided over salmon farm — Susan Cover

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (political story) — Called to action: More women run for political office amid frustrations — Patricia McCarthy

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (analysis) — LePage’s Legacy — Mike Miliard

2017

New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences AwardSingle Parents in Poverty — Naomi Schalit

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (political story) — Gov. LePage takes role in new PAC formed to support low-tax candidates — Joshua F. Moore

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — Single Parents in Poverty — Naomi Schalit

Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (investigative report) — Blind Trust — Dave Sherwood

2016

New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences AwardThe Lottery: Selling Hope to the Hopeless — Dave Sherwood

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — The Lottery: Selling Hope to the Hopeless — Dave Sherwood

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (special online project) — Making Connections — Meg Robbins, Dorothy Hastings, Naomi Schalit

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (political story) — Maine Democrats play middleman between wealthy Clinton donors and national party — Naomi Schalit

Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (health) — Danger: Lead Poisoning — Naomi Schalit

2015

New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences AwardLD 1750: A study in how special interests get their way in the Maine legislature — Naomi Schalit

Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — LD 1750: A study in how special interests get their way in the Maine legislature — Naomi Schalit

2014

New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences AwardRx for Theft — Naomi Schalit and John Christie

New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences AwardThe book on Paul LePage: The ‘biggest, baddest person around’ crashes Augusta’s ‘nicey-nicey’ club — John Christie

The Maine Monitor has four FREE newsletters to keep you informed!
SIGN UP NOW